I would like to think I have a really good memory, but unfortunately, my friend Tran has pointed out that my memory of events when I lived in Seattle has been slowly vanishing with time. Unlike me, Tran keeps tickets of events she's been to, postcards that friends have sent her, and she collects them in the box she calls "junk". I used to have a keepsake box, but after moving around, I decided to go without a keepsake box, and at times I would end up throwing away postcards sent to me. Don't get me wrong, I am sentimental, but I don't believe you need to keep everything to preserve a memory of events that was meaningful. But today's conversation with Tran, has made me question my memory and my ability to preserve things nowadays. It might have to do with the inability to retain information for school let alone memories that occurred 6 years ago. I believe that our mind is a tricky thing, that sometimes forgoes the old to make room for the new, since humans are not yet sophisticated enough to figure out how to use our entire brain to it's full potential.
It bring me to times when I need to retrace my steps when I have forgotten something. When we recall a memory, our mind will automatically "flesh out" the recollection by inventing details of the event, based on previous similar experiences. This process is largely unconscious We are not generally aware of it happening. The mind can add new components to the memory that are unrelated to the original event. Even more interestingly, these distortions will later re-enter our memory. I have always found it so fascinating. Man's reality is his mind's own creation, a memory is not recorded, but at times re-edited.
What is my point? It's good to take photos, it's good to keep a journal, because memory alone will not do justice.
No comments:
Post a Comment